OK. So I have been going through the comments section on both PS4 and Xbox One articles and I have to say, it is like watching two kids arguing in a school. But that is the way gaming has become, haters are always gonna hate. But recently, I got a little ticked off with the criticism Sony has come under due to the PlayStation Plus on PlayStation 4 issue. So this blog is just to clear things up, and hopefully get the benefits of the service out there to everyone, as well as why PlayStation Plus is the biggest bargain in gaming, and why needing PlayStation Plus for multiplayer on PS4 is not as bad as you think.

Let's start with PlayStation Plus. I became a member of the service as soon as it launched back in 2011. It really didn't take off until a year later, so the first year was a little undercover. Sure we got some excellent stuff, such as Uncharted 3 Beta, and discounts on the latest games, but it never really garnered the attention of the PS3 community until the launch of the Instant Game Collection. This is where Sony really hit the jackpot for me. Within a year, I have quite easily saved £500 on free games and discounts that they have given us during the first year. It started with iNFAMOUS 2 and Motorstorm Apocalypse, and has evolved so much that during the time we have been given massive titles such as Battlefield 3, Just Cause 2, Red Dead Redemption and Sleeping Dogs. Vita has also been added to it, giving us Metal Gear Solid HD Collection free, as well as major first party titles such as Uncharted Golden Abyss and Gravity Rush. All of these are £40 games, and to say you only pay £40 for a yearly subscription, you are already saving money during your first month. People are always going to say "oh I don't want to play that though" and that is fair enough, but Sony is trying to cater for everyone. Besides, if there is a free game just sitting there for you, it would be silly not to download it and try it. It is free after all! And the best thing about it, is as long as you maintain your subscription, they will always stay in your download list just ready for you to download again, even when it has been taken out of the Instant Game Collection. Now speaking as someone who is primarily Sony but does not have a hint of fanboyism (being super dedicated to one console isn't good, just love gaming in general and don't hate), I was happy to hear Microsoft was doing something similar. But offering Halo 3 and Assassins Creed 2 as free games? Erm.... not so much. But Fable 3 was a nice touch!

Moving on to PlayStation 4, I have heard people complaining about paying for online play. What I would like to say is simply this; would you rather have a free service where the connection to servers can at times be mediocre, or would you rather pay a membership so Sony can maintain and improve the network to make it the ultimate gaming network as they claim and boast. Also, if we analyse the whole situation and compare it to Xbox One, PS4's direct competition, you can see that the features of paying for PlayStation Plus are not as essential as they are with Xbox Live. For example, Party Chat and access to streaming services such as Music Unlimited and Netflix are available with a free PSN membership, whereas on Xbox One (at the time of writing) you need to have an active paying subscription for these. Also, we are guaranteed free PS4 games with a PlayStation Plus membership, so the benefits of the Instant Game Collection are still there too.

This is all my opinion, but I just want to get out there the fact that PlayStation Plus is not the rip off as I have seen claimed over the internet. The fact you get a lot more for your money than you bargain for just reaps rewards, and is definitely not something that should be seen as Sony leeching all PS4 gamers. Microsoft could honestly learn something from Sony, but if they do? Then the competition really is on.

When I finished Uncharted 3 at Christmas 2011, I finished the game thinking "could it get any better than this?". Truth be told, I felt exactly the same about Uncharted 2 back in 2009. With these 2 releases, they gave me the instant impression that Naughty Dog is quite simply the best studio in the world, which is saying a lot when comparing to other world class studios such as Irrational and Bungie. Fast forward now to 2013 and we have The Last of Us. Arguably called a second project by the studio when they decided to split into two teams, The Last of Us is anything but a second project. This is a balls out fully fledged experience which, in my opinion, blows anything they have created completely out of the water. And to be honest? Blows anything we have seen this generation out of the water.

The Last of Us sees the world in one hell of a mess. A fungal infection has taken over America and the USA is left in ruins, and we see how distraught the land has become not just in the desolation of the landscape, but in the way that the residents have become. It actually disturbs you as you play through. You play as Joel, a oldish man who has seen both sides of life; before and after the infection. I won't spoil anything but within the first 15 minutes I was already incredibly emotionally attached to Joel and even forced a tear my way. I may be an emotional person, but when it comes to a gaming experience there is only two other moments that has seen me emotionally attached to see a tear, and both of these are from the Metal Gear Solid series. Once we get introduced to Joel and the infection, we are plunged straight into a view of how the world has become now the infection has ravaged across the counties. And it is truly something that will take your breath away. You soon get introduced to Ellie and you then learn that you are being employed to accompany, guide and protect the 14 year old across America, which is where the true journey begins. Hearing the conversations between Ellie and Joel are some of the best I have heard, simply due to the different points of view that they both have on the world that they see and have seen. Without spoiling anything again, the story is fantastic and is one that truly got me attached to these characters thank to fantastic writing and incredible voice acting, with special mentions going to Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson. You constantly feel attached to these characters and are constantly wondering what is going to happen, and always fearing the worst for them.

Presentation in The Last of Us is typically amazing thanks to the incredible team at Naughty Dog. Anyone who has played the Uncharted series can expect fantastic animation and wonderfully designed environments and character models, but even then you will be surprised. The whole game just looks so believable, and I found myself constantly in awe at what Naughty Dog have created, it is truly something you have to see to believe. Cut scenes look especially incredible, and full of detail, and it is almost like you are looking at a movie. Moments when you get the chance to see into the eyes of Ellie or Joel and you can actually see the emotion that they display, it really is scary, but so fantastic to see at the same time. It also makes you wonder what Naughty Dog can achieve for the upcoming PS4, but that is for another time. As far as The Last of Us goes, it shows there is life in the old girl yet, as it really pushes the tech and shows what this generation was truly capable of. We won't see a prettier looking PS3 game.

Gameplay is something that truly staggered me. I came into this game thinking I am going to play it like Uncharted, which is in no way Naughty Dogs fault, it is simply the way that I thought I would approach this game. But from the word go, I instantly got the impression that this is a brand new experience. Picking up my first gun to find I only had 4 bullets to my name made me very uneasy, as I had no idea what to expect. What makes it worse is that I only found around 3 bullets every encounter, with around 3 enemies to take care of every time. Add that with the a classic health bar that can be refilled using health kits, which are easily scarce, and you find you need to be very clever with whatever resources you have. When you encounter human enemies you can choose to sneak past them, be stealthy, or go in guns blazing, but this all would depend on your supply situation. You need to be clever with what you have, and this is what makes The Last of Us special. Every single method works perfectly. Gunfire feels great on the Dual Shock 3, sneaking is done very well with the crouch button and the melee combat is truly brutal, but tons of fun. You can carry a melee weapon too, but that only lasts for a few hits before it breaks and you are left with your fists again, so it still comes down to managing your resources. You also have access to your backpack that lets you craft items with any supplies you have picked up along the way, with bombs, shivs and melee upgrades all available, but again it all relies on item management, and this can be very intense when in the middle of a firefight. Gameplay is just sublime, and to me, reinvents a genre as well as creates a whole new one. The AI is incredibly clever and will attempt to flank you if you are bogged down, but what impressed me the most was the AI for Ellie. She will get herself involved in firefights, and even distract enemies for you to get an opening. I was so impressed with how Naughty Dog handled the AI and hope to see this in future games, as it really gives you a cinematic aspect on the game and makes you feel like she is alive, and you are protecting her to a certain level, and even in some cases, she is protecting you.

When I heard there was a multiplayer component in The Last of Us, I started to feel a little worried. After seeing the gameplay, I couldn't see how it would work in the multiplayer world. However I am happy to report that The Last of Us easily has some of the best multiplayer I have every played. Sure it can't match the insanely popular Call of Duty, but this is an experience that I think cannot be missed. Firstly, you must pick between two factions that you learn about during the campaign. You then have your own clan and group of survivors that you have to keep healthy, and you do this by playing multiplayer games and gaining supplies. You can select between 2 modes; Supply Raid and Survivor. Supply Raid is a team deathmatch mode, but you also have the opportunity to pick up plenty of supplies along the way that are scattered in boxes around the map, but these are strategically placed so you are out in the open as you collect them. Survivor is a one spawn team match, think Warzone in Gears of War, but you also have the opportunity to collect supplies. These are all added up at the end of the match and is then distributed to your clan, and it also brings in new survivors for you to maintain. What is very cool is that if you link Facebook to the game, the survivors will be your Facebook friends, so you can see who is doing what, and it makes you feel more attached to the multiplayer aspect. This to me is easily one of the best multiplayers I have seen in years and is something that will keep me coming back to it for months and months.

If I had to write a conclusion to this review, it would have to be this. The Last of Us is the best game this generation. I would even say it is the best game this decade, surpassing the likes of Bioshock, and even Half Life 2. I have never been so emotionally attached to a game in all aspects, and I truly believe that this is easily in the top 5 games of all time. Congratulations Naughty Dog you have done it again. This is the true swan song for PlayStation 3, and I will be playing it again and again for years to come.

Anybody that knows me knows that I have always loved Sony's console, but I am by no means a Sony fanboy. What Microsoft has done in the industry has been wonderful and brought some of the best ideas into gaming, such as achievements and a serious online console gaming community, both of which we now know as the norm. But I have to say, when E3 was over and done with, Sony absolutely murdered Microsoft. Just coming out and saying "we do not have any restrictions on used games" and " you don't need to be online with PlayStation 4" really put a massive cluster in Microsoft's next-generation plans. However, in the past few days Microsoft have come out and said "we are changing the Xbox One so you can play used games and you don't need to be online once every 24 hours, but you will require an Internet connection for a day one update" which has instantly brought many players back to the Microsoft side. I was always going to stick with my PlayStation 4 pre-order, but it really does not ring true with Microsoft. Let me explain.

Let me get right off the bat by saying this. Lifting the restrictions they placed on Xbox One to begin with is an excellent idea for them. It strikes a blow to Sony's marketing campaign and pleases many gamers. But in my personal opinion? I don't think they plan on keeping it lifted forever. Put it this way, Microsoft will have already built the technology for the restrictions to happen with Xbox One, even 6 months away from the launch date. So what is stopping them from simply switching these restrictions back on a couple of years down the line? Microsoft could very easily do this to us and go back to the "family sharing" policy with used games. This easily can happen, but then on the other hand, Sony could also build this technology in a future firmware, so this could easily happen too. Either way, I am not convinced with Microsofts decision, as good as it is for the industry as a whole at this moment in time.

Now that is out of the way, let us analyse both consoles without the used games or always online implications and look at them as serious gaming machines. Both of these systems are pretty even matched if we were to look at the specs we have seen so far. Both have 8GB of RAM, Blu-Ray drives and are capable of producing gigantic amounts of power. Reports have come in saying that the PS4 is capable of rendering more powerful games, but this is something we won't see until say, 5 or 6 years into the console cycle. I am not going to get into the nitty gritty of all this but I will simply say that both of these systems are pretty even matched, and it will take a seriously killer title to have one launch itself over the other.

Speaking of killer titles, we saw plenty of games at E3. Next-generation titles such as Watch_Dogs, iNFAMOUS: Second Son and Dead Rising 3 really impressed me, as they all showed why it is going to be worth jumping to the next-generation. But seeing as this is a comparison article, I will need to compare not just multi-platform titles, but console exclusives. So let's jump right into those! Off the bat, Microsoft showed off the most exclusives, and they were impressive! I was personally shocked to see Ted Price on stage from Insomniac games to show off a Xbox One exclusive in Sunset Overdrive, but I always have a feeling it was only a matter of time before they became an independent company. Other games such as the return of Killer Instinct, a new next-gen Halo, the incredibly impressive looking Quantum Break and the cool looking roman-em-up Ryse all looked crisp and really good looking on next-gen hardware, and are very impressive titles to be heading exclusively to Xbox One.

Sony on the other hand didn't really show off many exclusive titles during E3, but what they did show seemed very impressive. The biggest new title to emerge in my opinion, was The Order: 1884 by Ready at Dawn and Sony Santa Monica. I had no idea what this was, and even thought it could have been a new Uncharted game from Naughty Dog, but I was very surprised with this, and the trailer looked superb, and left me wanting more. We also got more of a look at iNFAMOUS: Second Son, #DriveClub, Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall, which all once again looked absolutely superb. Even though there was not many more big exclusive titles, what I was really excited about was what Sony was doing with the Indie community, as we say 9 games on stage that looked like awesome fun little Indie titles, that were also exclusively going to launch on PS4. This got me very excited and made me think that this is exactly the direction consoles should go; allowing indie developers to launch their content on consoles easily. Pair that with Sony's direction on free-to-play titles and you have a winner.

I am not going to find a winner on the games front seeing as I haven't even been able to hold the control pads, never mind play the games, so I shall move to the final topic, and that is price. Microsoft went first and revealed a $499 and £429 price point for Xbox One, that can be very competitive seeing as they are launching with a Kinect camera in every box. My only concern with this is that Kinect is something that hardcore gamer does not want, and there are still many questions to answered on how Kinect exactly implements with the usual day to day workings of the Xbox One.

Sony then came in and announced a $399 and £349 price point, which when I was watching the conference at 3am made me just go bonkers. I could not believe Sony came out and beat Microsoft with their price, but it seems Sony has learnt their lesson with the previous generation. The only issue would be that the PS4 does not include the camera, as this is a separate peripheral that will be made available at launch, and we don't know exactly how the Dual Shock 4 will function without a camera, but we will find that out later in the year, or at least we hope.

OK, so let us just finish this article with something simple. Both of these consoles are going to be fantastic, with fantastic launch titles, fantastic hardware and fantastic services. That is about it really. You can't say more than that. This article was never meant to pick your choice of console, just give you a bit of an insight on what you can expect from both consoles. We still have a long way to go so we have got a lot of stuff to look into, but whatever decision you make? Just know you can expect fantastic entertainment for the years to come.

Looking back at the predictions I made on my blog last week, I think it is fair to say that I sucked. But then again, this has already been an astonishing E3, and I was shocked with some of the announcements made at the conferences. We will get into the main bit of news shortly, but first let's take a look back at the predictions I made.

Microsoft Conference

Big Exclusives - We definitely got some exclusives, but out of the names I mentioned in my previous blog? I got one out of 4, which is incredibly sucky. They revealed a Halo title will be coming to Xbox One through a quite epic trailer, but we had no sighting of Gears of War 4, Fable 4, and the Perfect Dark I predicted from Rare. Instead, we got Ryse, Killer Instinct, Sunset Overdrive (by the guys at Insomniac) and Dead Rising 3, with the latter massively impressing me. Dead Rising 3 looked like a seamless transition into the next generation, but also looked like a overhaul the game needed to make that transition. Killer Instinct also looked amazing, with the team at Rare reviving the hugely popular fighting franchise, and it does look like it could compete with the big boys of the fighting genre. Ryse however, failed to impress me. It looked very pretty and deserved to be called a next-generation game, but as soon as I saw the constant Quick Time Events in the combat I was instantly disheartened. We also got games such as Battlefield 4 getting exclusive timed DLC and a deal with Twitch TV that will undoubtedly please the streamers worldwide.

$400 Price Point - And then we got the price for the Xbox One, arguably the most disappointing part of the conference. I wrote my prediction of $400 because I really thought this would be a competitive price for the next generation, and really allow Microsoft to get a good foot hole in the next generation market. Instead, we get a high price point which will leave gamers debating whether to slam down all that cash for Microsofts next big system. It does come with a Kinect to sweeten the deal, but as we found out in the last generation, Kinect is not something everyone wants. Just to make a point as well, the PS3 was ridiculed for its £425 price point when it released in 2007, so Microsoft should really have looked at that before they decided on the price. The nail in the coffin on this came at Sony's conference later in the day, more on that later.

October Release - OK, so I got this completely wrong, with Microsoft opting for a November release date. The guys on IGN Live made a very good point in saying that they will want to launch next to Call of Duty, so look out for that as a release window.

Entertainment Deals - In a somewhat surprising move, Microsoft showed absolutely nothing in the form of entertainment, opting to focus completely on the Xbox One as a gaming experience. Probably a smart move considering the amount of TV we saw at the Xbox One reveal but surprising none the less.

Sony Conference:

Big Exclusives - The predictions I made were, again, completely wrong. We got no Uncharted 4, no Syphon Filter and no Resistance 4. But we did get to see a new IP by the guys at Ready at Dawn and Sony Santa Monica called The Order 1886. This looks very interesting, and the trailer really impressed me, as it looks like something completely different and something they really could build on in the future. Other than this, we saw a fantastic partnership and strategy with Indie developers that is truly special for console gaming in my honest opinion, as well as demos for the eagerly anticipated Watch Dogs, the buggy but still impressive Assassins Creed 4 and my personal game of the show so far; Destiny by Bungie. Though these games are not exclusive, Sony has nailed down exclusive content for these games which is a nice touch.

$300 Price Point - Now I may be complaining about the price of the Xbox One being a $100 more than I predicted and then not complaining about the price being the same for Sony, but here me out. After the Xbox One conference, everybody was annoyed with both the price and no mention concerning always online and DRM. Sony then came out and blew us away saying the games are ours, we own the rights, and we don't need to be online to play our PS4 games. Then, they come out and say they are launching $100 and £75 less than Microsoft. This was a real nail in the coffin at such an early stage for Microsofts next generation effort, and this makes Sony clear winners of the press conference war by far. What happens in the future we shall see.

November Release Date - OK so I kinda got this right.. right? Sony announced a holiday release date for the PlayStation 4, for both America and Europe which really excites the UK Sony fans, as we are so used to being made late for the party. What is interesting is Japan was not mentioned within this release window, but I am sure something will be announced properly for Japan at the Tokyo Game Show, and that it will be released during the same window.

Another Game Focused Event - Apart from around 5 to 10 minutes of entertainment news from the President of Sony Pictures, this event really was game focused, and that included Vita and PS3 as well, which is always nice to hear, so I am calling this a great success.

Vita News - While we did not get as much Vita news as I would like, it is nice to know that Sony is still completely supporting the handheld, with God of War Collection being released this year, alongside another big release, Killzone Mercenary. Apart from this, I would have to say expect a lot more at the Tokyo Game Show, and possibly earlier at GDC.

Continued PS3 Support - This is definitely a win. Even though Sony didn't announce anything new for the PlayStation 3, we still got time dedicated to some of the big releases in the year, including The Last of Us launching this Friday 14th June. Games such as Batman Arkham Origins and Beyond: Two Souls also got the trailer treatment, and we did get a little appearance from Grand Theft Auto 5, with a PS3 bundle including the game being announced next to a special edition set of headphones, which also looked pretty sweet.

Nintendo Conference

Zelda Wii U Name - Even though we did not get a name of the Zelda Wii U game, but a heavy climpse on the Wind Waker remake, we did get a name and new trailer for the new Zelda 3DS game which will be named The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, a true sequel to the classic Zelda game, A Link To The Past. I would say expect proper Wii U Zelda news at TGS.

New 3D Mario Title - I am happily claiming this one, even if it is not a true 3D Mario title. This is pretty much New Super Mario Bros. Wii in 3D, quite a wonderful and new idea for the Mario series, and one that is sure to pay off and sell systems for Nintendo.

New Metroid Series - Absolutely nothing Metroid, yeah, I messed that one up.

Smash Bros. Wii U - I got this right, but then Nintendo one upped me and said it was coming to the 3DS. Excellent work by Nintendo, announcing favorite characters as well as new ones such as Mega Man. Excellent work by Nintendo.

Let us finish off with this; Sony won E3. It is as easy as that. Sony came out all guns blazing and gave us a conference that made us want to buy the PS4 at launch, and made us want to support Sony in the next generation. Their policy on online connectivity and used games was clearly outlined and ended up being a straight jab to Microsoft and their plans for the next generation. But the race is not won at E3, it is run in the years to come, and we can only wait and see what Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo all do with their next generation consoles, and we are all along for the ride.

So, it is that time of year once again! That wonderful time of year where publishers show off their latest new shiny things, and the time of year where Microsoft and PlayStation duel for the wonderful papery substance in your wallet. But this year is an incredibly special one, as this is a next generation E3. They are seriously competing this year.

Going into E3, I have to say Sony already have the advantage. Being a gamer in the UK, I felt as though there was nothing major to take out of Microsofts Xbox One reveal as compared to Sony's PlayStation 4 reveal back in February. To me? All I found out was that it is coming this year, what it look likes, what the controller looks like, what Kinect looks like and that there is a couple of top exclusives coming, with one of those making me excited. The rest of that was all about Kinect and the entertainment (TV TV TV!) capabilities that Xbox One gives you. Speaking from the UK? That was pointless, because we will have no access to almost everything they were showing, except for possibly TV if they find a way to seal a deal with Sky TV. But when it comes to Xbox One being a games console? I got nothing from it.. apart from Quantum Break. That looks awesome.

Compare this with the PlayStation 4 and what I get from that is that it is going to be one awesome games console. We got a few exclusives from that such as Infamous: Second Son and Killzone Shadow Fall, and we also got gameplay. We know what these games are going to look like, and they are going to be wonderfully brilliant by the looks of things. Even though Sony didn't mention much about Netflix or anything movie or TV based? We can practically guarantee services such as Music Unlimited and Netflix will be heading to the PlayStation 4, but the conference focused on games which is exactly what gamers want.

So going into E3 Sony has the upper hand. Microsoft needs to pull something big out of the bag to take the lead back, but can they? Here are my predictions for both conferences at E3.

Microsoft Conference

So we start off with the Microsoft conference to kick off E3. With the recent reveal of the Xbox One causing a bit of stir among the community, as well as the recent revelations about their online policy and used game fees, Microsoft need to make sure that they can have something very special to pull people back. Of course, people are going to flock to the Microsoft branding after the success of the Xbox 360 in recent years, but with the PlayStation 4 taking a lot of the momentum so far, it needs to make sure they pull off an astounding conference. Here are my predictions for the Xbox conference on June 10th:

Big Exclusives
Obviously Microsoft still have some rabbits in the hat, especially seeing as they made the promise of 15 exclusive launch titles in the first year of Xbox One. That is a staggering amount, but the only worry is will they be Xbox Live Arcade games, or full fledged retail releases? My money is on half and half, which is kind of worrying seeing as we already know what two or three of the retail releases will be. Put money on reveals for Halo 5, Gears of War 4 and Fable 4, but also put money on some new IP's or maybe even returning franchises. We have forgotten that Rare have been quiet for a while but have teased a game, maybe another Perfect Dark launch title? Possible.

$400 Price Point
I really get a feeling that they are going to push the price of $400 seeing as it is being touted as a one system does all machine. Microsoft want this to be more than a games console, they want it to be almost the only system you need in the living room, especially with the focus on TV capabilities at the reveal back in May. $500 could even be on the cards, but I just get a feeling we could be looking at a $400 price which, sadly, will then convert straight to £400 here in the UK.

October Release Date
Microsoft will be looking to get out of the gates first, especially seeing the success they had with launching the Xbox 360 a year before the release of the PlayStation 3, so I think they will want to launch the Xbox One as soon as possible, maybe even pushing September. Launching a month before the PlayStation 4 could be significant, but not nearly as significant as compared to the year gap found in the release of this generation.

Entertainment Deals
Exclusives still mean a lot in today's gaming world, but if Microsoft is looking to make a serious jump in the entertainment department, I can see them making big deals with companies such as Spotify and Rdio, and even the BBC. Having these on board, but especially the BBC, would be huge for Microsoft. They could realistically have access to more than what the iPlayer already offers, such as the whole series of Doctor Who, or the past years worth of Eastenders on demand, as well as all the sport available to them such as Match of the Day. They could do something similar this way like they are doing with ESPN over in the states. The same goes for Spotify and Rdio, music is still important to the entertainment experience in today's world so why not!

Remember these are only predictions, I could be completely and utterly wrong with these, but that is just what I think will happen when it comes to June 10th and the Microsoft conference. But they also need to surprise us, they need to show us something that is really going to shock up and make us go "that is awesome, I want it". But we shall see.

Next up, we have the predictions for the Sony conference. Sony really came out of the gate hot with the PlayStation 4 in February, really showing off what they are doing with the next console, and in the months after the event constantly saying that this is a machine made for gamers, and is primarily a games console, which is what we are paying for right? Anyway, here are some predictions for the Sony conference.

Big Exclusives
If you had to ask me? Sony has the best exclusives on any platform. If you have owned the PlayStation 3 you have had the opportunity to play some of the best games this generation such as the Uncharted series, iNFAMOUS, Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots and Heavy Rain. It even has some firepower, with the already critically acclaimed The Last of Us out next week and Beyond: Two Souls proving to be the systems swan song in October. But as far as the PlayStation 4 goes, we already know big games such as iNFAMOUS: Second Son, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack and #DriveClub are coming around the launch period. But what about the future? I would have to say watch out for an Uncharted 4 reveal, or even gameplay demo, to completely blow us away. Other predictions have to be a reboot to Syphon Filter and Resistance 4. Plus, don't be surprised if you see The Last of Us make an appearance as a PlayStation 4 launch title.

$300 Price Point
Everybody who knows a thing or two about Sony press conferences remembers the diabolical "599 US Dollars" catastrophe, and Sony more than anyone will have learned their lesson. They will want to have an extremely affordable machine for this generation so they can really get a head start on the competition, so expect a low price point. They may bump it up to $400 for a higher SKU, 1 Terabyte for example, but expect the starting price to be around the $300 mark.

November Release Date
If my predictions are correct, this would mean Xbox One will have launched a month earlier than the PlayStation 4. But this by far does not affect things as much as the one year launch gap of the current generation. Sony could pull of a smart move with this seeing as it games such as Assassins Creed 4, Call of Duty Ghosts and Battlefield 4 all have release dates slapped around the November period, so they could have all these major games as launch title for the system. This would be absolutely huge for them. However, it could backfire on them. Factors such as how many systems they can provide for a worldwide launch (which is all but confirmed) will come into effect, but I would still put my money on a November launch.

The Event Will AGAIN Focus On Games... But That Is A Good Thing
Let's be honest, we all want the PlayStation 4 so we can actually play our games. And we really want to know about the games we will be playing. So I think the main focus for Sony is exactly what they have planned for the system and what we can expect to see if we invest at launch. Besides, trying to play Microsoft at their own game as a "complete entertainment experience" will be bad considering how the last generation went, so this would be a smart move by Sony

Plenty Of Strong Vita News
First and foremost? Vita price cut. It just has to happen. If they bring the Vita down to around $199 it will make it an incredibly well priced handheld, and it may find more jumping into a strong console like experience in a hand held. But they would also need games for it, so I will happily predict that we will see a sequel to Uncharted Golden Abyss, as well as a God of War game for the system. What would also be nice to see is a Gran Turismo, a new Assassins Creed and maybe even a Grand Theft Auto for the console, but the latter may be wishful thinking. Add this to the games already coming to the system this year, such as the recently released Soul Sacrifice, Killzone Mercenary and Tearaway. Also, let us bear in mind that Indie games are really starting to pick up, with Limbo coming to the Vita and Hotline Miami being released later in the year, so we could see some Indie games such as Monaco and Gunpoint make its way to the console. Time will tell.

Continued PlayStation 3 Support
The PlayStation 3 has an install base of over 50 million. Ignoring these as soon as the PlayStation 4 is released will be a very silly thing to do. Let us look at the PlayStation 2, they have only just stopped making games and consoles. This shows the dedicated support for the system, and hopefully Sony will show that this is something they plan to replicate with the PlayStation 3. We may not see quality games such as The Last of Us come around again on the system, but we will still see support for the system, with all the major releases being launched on the platform this year. And let's be honest, FIFA will always launch on the PS3 until they decide that it is officially dead. So that's alright for you football fans.

Well, those are my predictions for both major conferences. But you may be wondering, what about Nintendo? Well for some strange reason, they have opted out of having a press conference and decided to have a E3 style Nintendo Direct instead. This just goes to show with Nintendo that they seem to have priorities all wrong, unless they somehow have some master plan to fool us all. Nintendo won't win this generation in my opinion, but they are far from dead. Nintendo will never die to be honest, they are too big a company to. Especially when they have mammoth franchises such as Mario and Zelda. But if I had to predict anything from the Nintendo direct? It would be this:

Zelda Wii U Will Get A Name And Maybe A Demo
I think we will get a name for the new Zelda as well as a demo, just so we can see what they are planning to do with the new hardware. Expect this to be visually stunning and have a huge emphasis on the Wii U GamePads touchscreen.

New 3D Mario Title
Maybe even Super Mario Galaxy 3? Whatever they choose to do they have to really out do themselves, seeing as Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 were the best 3D Mario games we have seen in years.

New Metroid Series
Arguably one of the best series of games to hit Gamecube and Wii, the Metroid Prime trilogy were a trio of outstanding third person shooters and should most definitely make an appearance on the Wii U, and I think they will but only through trailer form.

Smash Brothers Wii U
This one just completely explains itself. Smash Brothers is THE Nintendo game hardcore gamers look, play and love. Smash Brothers is the ultimate fighting game and is, in some strong cases, a big system seller. We know it is coming, we just can't wait to see it.

And that is about it really! Those are my predictions for E3. I am going to plan on writing a blog after all the conferences have completed, just to give my thoughts on both conferences and the Nintendo Direct, and outline my predictions for the rest of the year. Thank you for reading, and most of all? Enjoy E3 2013! We all know this year is going to be something special.